Coronavirus: Clarifications on new measures for UK travellers

The health ministry issued further clarifications on Monday concerning the latest quarantine measures for travellers from the UK.

It was reiterated that all those arriving from the UK into either Paphos or Larnaca airports after 6pm on Monday, December 21, will be taken to quarantine hotels for a seven-day period. The ministry clarified that the only exception to this rule applies to persons under the age of 18, who have the option to either self-isolate at home or at the hotel.

Another major question which was answered is whether a person can isolate at home if they are able to limit their contacts with friends and family, to which the ministry emphasised that this is not permitted. Hotels are the only option.

As for the cost of it all: the first test travellers will take (upon arrival at the airports) will have to be paid for, while the second test (taken on the seventh day), transport to the hotel and the hotel stay itself will be covered by the government. It also reiterated that all persons over the age of 12 are required to take a coronavirus test.

As for connecting and transit flights, the ministry said that travellers who pass through the UK on their way to Cyprus and spend time in transit will not be required to carry out the seven-day quarantine at hotels.

Finally, the ministry said that if the test taken on the seventh day returns positive then the person will be treated as any other positive case and the usual protocols will apply: namely, the monitoring unit will be notified. People who test positive will have to self-isolate at home for two weeks.

 

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